Mobile devices such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, digital multimedia broadcasting devices, navigation devices, smartphones, tablets, phablets, personal computers, etc. are ubiquitous in most of the developed world. Despite this, the vast majority of vehicles (e.g. cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, etc.) produced today do not provide means for the driver of the vehicle to conveniently store and access their mobile device, leading to distracted drivers focused more on their mobile devices than on the safe operation of their vehicles.
Cradles for mobile devices mounted onto parts of a vehicle, such as, for example, windshield, dashboard, handlebar, etc., help to address the above problem by providing the driver with a means to conveniently store and access their mobile device in a manner that does not fully take their attention off the safe operation of their vehicle. Most of the available cradles hold the mobile device in an elevated position, thereby enabling the driver of the vehicle to see the road while looking at their mobile device. However, existing cradles for mobile devices are usually simple holders with limited functionality, such as acting as a charging station for the mobile device, and they are of no use when not connected to a mobile device. Further, available cradles do not address some of the other issues associated with using a mobile device in a vehicle, such as, for example, weak cellular network signal strength or poor speaker and/or microphone quality, which result in dropped calls and a poor hands-free communication experience, respectively.
In the future, mobile devices will be more of a personal computer than a communication/entertainment device and they will be the means by which individuals connect with the digital world around them. Mobile device cradles embedded into and connected with the computer systems of homes; vehicles (semi and/or fully autonomous) and other means of transportation (e.g. hyperloop); appliances; entertainment systems; places of work; etc. will facilitate this connection to the digital world. To enable this, new mobile device cradles with improved functionality are needed.